Business & Finance Desk
The CBN’s new framework, signed by Musa Jimoh, Director of Payments System Management, drops a regulatory hammer on agent banking.
Under the rules, every agent transaction must run through a dedicated account tagged to its parent bank. Using non-designated accounts now qualifies as a regulatory offence.
“We’re tightening the rails to protect consumers and keep the system clean,” Jimoh told reporters.
The directive also forces financial institutions to publish verified lists of agents and submit monthly activity data to the apex bank.
⚡ SNAPSHOT — THE NEW RULES IN BLACK & WHITE
- Daily cumulative limit: ₦1.2 million per agent.
- Individual customer limit: ₦100 000 per day.
- Geo-fencing now mandatory — devices can’t roam.
- Fraudulent agents face blacklisting and licence loss.
- Principals must submit monthly compliance reports by the 10th.
WHY IT MATTERS
This is more than a limit; it’s a stress test for Nigeria’s informal economy.
With over 1.9 million active POS terminals, small merchants and rural agents now stand at a crossroads — adapt digitally or be frozen out.
CBN insists it’s cleaning up fraud and money-laundering trails, but critics warn of a digital squeeze that could isolate low-income communities still dependent on cash.
“The new policy protects banks, not small agents,” says fintech lobbyist Mary Osho. “Many will shut down or pass costs to customers.”
Others see discipline finally arriving in a sector where cash circulation often defied monitoring.
⚙️ BEYOND THE MACHINES
- POS operators nationwide process ₦900 bn monthly — regulation hits margins.
- Rural liquidity likely to drop ≈ 20 % in Q4 2025.
- CBN promises fraud-monitoring dashboard and instant reversal tech.
- Fintech start-ups brace for compliance costs and device upgrades.
💰 WINNERS & WATCHERS
- Winners: Licensed banks, fintechs with robust compliance tech, CBN’s credibility.
- Losers: Unregistered POS micro-operators, cash-based SMEs, rural traders.
- Watch Zone: Telco-driven mobile-money firms may fill the liquidity gap left by restricted agents.
This is IDNN. Independent. Digital. Uncompromising.
